Delicate
by EchoOfDarkness46x
Summary: Kurt takes the criticism of being too delicate, feminine and having' toothpick arms' in a bad way after his Tony audition. Blaine gets worried when he starts to see changes in his boyfriend, Finn tried to be a good brother, Rachel feels particularly responsible and the directors are forced to realise how much they have actually hurt him. Tag to 3x02.


It always annoyed me with this episode that nothing was done after these comments were made and so I wanted to write this to fix that in my mind. Also, the idea won't leave me alone.

P.S. This doesn't quite follow straight through from 3x02 – 3x03 as I edited parts to fit with my storyline. Also I really didn't expect this to end up being so long :)

* * *

Kurt knew they didn't know that he was listening and really he knew himself that he shouldn't have been, but he felt compelled to know what they had thought of his performance. Although it upset him dearly, in a way he was glad that he heard their comments. Kurt hated it when people talked about him behind his back and he knew with any audition process you had to talk about the candidate.

He hadn't expected what he heard though.

Miss Pillsbury had given the lovely compliment of 'toothpick arms', Coach Beiste had commented that he was 'too much of a lady' and even Artie (who was supposed to be his friend,) pretty much agreed by saying that he was 'too delicate.'

So maybe he was delicate - a fact which was only emphasised by how this had managed to make him cry slightly - but after everything he had been through in his life so far, wasn't that only to be expected? Blaine always commented that he was stronger than him, but Kurt was beginning to doubt how much truth there was in that now.

He'd tried to fix it, so that he might still have had a chance of being considered for Tony. Rachel had kindly agreed to help and Kurt had appreciated it. Well that was until she seemed to find it just as entertaining as the panel.

Coach Beiste had been the first to laugh, however Kurt and Rachel had kept going, but then they reached the kiss and all of them had found it strangely hilarious.

Kurt hadn't.

Their laughter stopped when they realised he was staring at them. Kurt had moved to stand up, Rachel attempting to stop him as she apologised, telling him to continue and that he could kiss her. Kurt couldn't though.

It was one thing to hear their comments, but another to witness them actually laugh at you, which Kurt was sure teachers weren't meant to necessarily do.

He freed himself from Rachel's hands and ran from the stage directly out to the back of the school. Only once he was there, did he allow himself to actually cry.

* * *

No one apologised to him the next day. Artie seemed to think nothing of it and neither did Coach Beiste or Miss Pillsbury and that hurt almost as much as the actual event itself. He knew he had no chance of playing Tony now and Kurt was beginning to think that his performance of Romeo and Juliet had only made it less likely for him to get the role.

Rachel attempted to apologise several times during the day, but Kurt didn't listen to her. Tomorrow he might, but at that moment in time he didn't feel he could handle Rachel Berry.

* * *

Finn came to his room that evening after dinner, having noticed that his step-brother didn't seem quite himself as well as receiving a text from Rachel asking why Kurt was ignoring her and if Finn could get him to speak to her. He hadn't replied to his girlfriend.

After receiving no answer when he knocked, Finn had just poked his head around, noticing that Kurt was just lying on his bed, "Hey, you okay?" Finn questioned.

His older brother made no movement to even acknowledge his question, so Finn entered the room and shut the door again behind him. As he made his way over to Kurt, he tried to think of a conversation topic, "Did Blaine have his audition for the school play today?" Finn asked as he stood beside the bed. Kurt nodded.

"I thought you would have stuck around and then gone out for coffee or something," He commented nonchalantly, "You and Blaine usually do that during the week don't you?" Once again Kurt just nodded and Finn sighed, but he was getting somewhere he supposed.

"Kurt just talk to me. Rachel texted saying you weren't speaking to her so I know something's up." Kurt still didn't sit up, but he did give a spoken reply.

"Don't worry, it's stupid: it's nothing." Finn knew that the chances were that it most likely wasn't, but Blaine was probably the best person to extract information from Kurt about his problems. He made a mental note to remind himself to ask Blaine for help when he next saw him. It was helpful to know your brothers boyfriend, as well as going to the same school too.

"Come on, we can watch The Lion King together or something."

"Really?" Kurt questioned, unsure as to whether Finn had actually thought that idea through before he spoke and whether he remembered the last time they had watched that film together.

"Yeah," Finn replied as he grabbed it from its place on the shelf, opening the door, "Come on, we'll watch it downstairs with some vanilla ice cream." Kurt gave him a smile and sat himself up, straightening out his clothes before standing up and walking out of the room. Finn shut the door behind them, still no closer to an answer, but at least he had a reason to eat ice cream and snacks for once without Kurt badgering him about health and he could keep his eye on the elder also.

* * *

Finn drove them into school the next day, constantly being ordered by Kurt on how to drive his car, but for once the younger brother really didn't find himself minding. When they did arrive at school - in one piece with the car unscathed, as Finn kept telling Kurt - the pair made their way inside to see Rachel waiting by Kurt's locker.

"Kurt, please, I'm so sorry I-" Rachel started as Kurt took a text book out of his locker before shutting it and walking away. Rachel headed off after him and Finn after her, however Blaine reached the Countertenor first as he rounded the corner (and after handing him a coffee,) lead Kurt back in the direction he had just come from. Rachel just watched their backs as the pair walked away.

Finn stopped her from storming after them a moment later.

Kurt hadn't spoken to Blaine at all as the younger led him out of the building and sat down with him on the concrete steps. The fresh air was a nice break from the stuffy school corridors and Rachel's attempts to apologise to him. Kurt did feel slightly guilty in ignoring her, because he was sure that she probably did mean the words she was trying to get to say.

"Thanks." Kurt commented as he looked over at Blaine who had just finished taking a sip from his coffee.

"You're welcome," Blaine replied, "You cancelled our planned outing yesterday, so I thought I would just bring coffee in this morning instead." Kurt just nodded in reply.

"I'm sorry about that," Blaine didn't look like he had expected an apology but Kurt thought he deserved one anyway, "I was just really tired."

"It's fine Kurt really," The younger insisted, "I'd be tired if I was you, you spent ages rehearsing for your audition and please let the next time I see those swords of yours be in some form of case."

Kurt smiled, "Why? Did they scare you?" The older already knew the answer to this, but he felt compelled to ask it anyway.

"You know why," Blaine answered, knowing Kurt would only enjoy hearing it again, "I'm always terrified that you're going to end up cutting yourself with one!"

"But I am an expert, Blaine." Kurt replied as he leaned over and rested his head onto his boyfriend's shoulder.

"Yes, a self-taught expert who - no matter how skilled - could always make a small mistake and injure himself."

"I'm sure you'll be there to come to my rescue." Kurt replied, nuzzling his head into Blaine's shoulder as if he was trying to disappear.

"Yes, but I really don't want to ever have to face that situation," Blaine told him, placing his head atop of Kurt's, "You're alright though, yeah?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Kurt questioned curiously as he sat up and took a sip from his own coffee.

"Finn rang me late last night," Kurt instantly looked uncomfortable, "He said that he didn't think you were alright and wondered if it had something to do with why you hadn't come to meet me. I told him you'd said you were tired and he agreed with that."

"He shouldn't have bothered you in the first place," Kurt said as he stood up, "We should get to class." He extended hand to Blaine, who took it and stood up as the pair made their way back into the building.

* * *

Kurt didn't seem overly happy in Glee that afternoon. He cheered up a bit when Blaine entered the room and sat down beside him, placing an arm around his shoulders. Finn had tried to coach out of Rachel why she felt she needed to apologise to his step-brother, but she refused to answer until the other diva accepted it.

Finn thought that even Mr Schuester had managed to pick up on it. The younger Hummel-Hudson brother just placed his trust in Blaine and assumed that his brother's boyfriend would be able to pick up on any problems.

At the end of rehearsal, Artie mentioned that the cast list for West Side Story would be up tomorrow.

Kurt left the room quickly at that and Blaine was just as quick to react and go after his fleeing boyfriend. The New Directions were left very confused, except for Rachel and Artie who were both left looking very guilty as they watched Blaine head out of the room after Kurt.

"Kurt!" Blaine shouted as he ran down the hallway after his boyfriend, "Kurt, stop, talk to me." The other did eventually come to a halt before heading towards his locker, the younger just following him, happy that his boyfriend seemed calmer now.

"Why'd you run out like that?" Blaine asked, "I thought you would have been excited to see the cast list?"

"Hmm." Kurt answered simply and Blaine just lent against the lockers next to Kurt's.

"Come on, what is it?" Blaine pressed curiously, but also worriedly, "I only want to help and I'm worried now too."

"It's nothing," Kurt replied as he started to walk away, Blaine only followed though, "It's just me being 'delicate'." Kurt placed extra emphasis on the last word as he said it at the same moment he walked directly passed Artie. Rachel called out to him and Kurt was almost certain that Finn made move to follow them, only to be stopped by Blaine as the two left the building together.

Kurt never told Blaine what had been bothering him that evening, however Blaine did get to buy Kurt coffee, take him for a walk in the park and finish it off with watching Bambi: even though it always made the younger cry without fail.

* * *

The cast list went up the next day and that was what caused the overall problems. Rachel had been desperate to find out (although she thought she already knew,) and was so ecstatic when she saw she had the part of Maria that she completely forgot to check who was playing Tony.

Kurt didn't even have to look to know that he didn't have the part of Tony, but he did look though, only out of curiosity for Blaine. After all, it was good to be a supportive boyfriend, even if you felt sad and down yourself. Kurt tried not to show his disappointment and kept it on the inside when he saw that Blaine had the role of Tony.

"Well done," Kurt congratulated, "You really do deserve it. Your audition was amazing and I-"

"You saw my audition?" Blaine questioned, confusion lacing his tone, but not anger - never anger.

"Yeah, I decided to wait for you, but I decided I would just watch anyway and you nailed it. I'm glad you agreed to read for Tony and that paid off since you-"

"Kurt, Kurt stop talking a moment," Blaine interrupted and Kurt silence himself to look his boyfriend in the eye, "I didn't agree to read for Tony."

"Y-you didn't?" Kurt asked curiously. He noticed how Blaine hadn't even questioned his text of being tired the reason for why he wouldn't be able to meet Blaine, when it was now proving to be an obvious lie.

"No. I knew how much it meant to you, to get the lead," Blaine told him, "I didn't want to take that from you."

"But why not? You were amazing. You would be a brilliant Tony, way better than I ever would be. Surely you know that?" Kurt asked slightly sadly, however annoyed at the same time that Blaine had denied the opportunity: even though he was sure he should be bursting into thank you's for Blaine's actions.

"Firstly, you will always be the best Tony in my eyes. Secondly, I know you really need the lead for your NYADA application and you workweek hard on your audition and you're doing the same for this campaign, I couldn't take that from you," Kurt seemed slightly unhappy with his boyfriend's self-sacrifice, so Blaine added more, "Besides, I have next year."

"You got it anyway though, so you have to take it." Kurt told Blaine, his voice sounding so sullen as well as quiet even though the elder was sure he had spoken a lot louder.

"No, you need it. I never agreed to read for Tony, so they shouldn't have even cast me as him," The former Warbler told his boyfriend, "You will make the perfect Tony don't you worry. I'm going to get them to change it right now." As Blaine turned to head down the corridor, Kurt grabbed his arm and pulled him back around to face him.

"No I won't be," Kurt commented, "And they won't cast me as him anyway, so I wouldn't waste your time." Now it was Kurt's turn to try and walk away, only to be grabbed by Blaine and pulled to the other side of the hallway.

"Why not? You're amazing."

"Because..." Kurt trailed off as he tried to think of something to cover with, already knowing that he just wanted to admit the truth to Blaine and the pleading puppy dog like eyes of his boyfriend weren't helping him to bottle it up. Eventually Kurt caved in, "Because according to Miss Pillsbury I have toothpick arms, Coach Beiste thinks I'm too feminine and too much of a lady. Artie thinks I'm too delicate and-"

"Delicate?" Blaine queried.

"Yeah, I know I am: it's ridiculous. I don't really know how I ever expected to be able to be cast as Tony when those comments alone made me feel like crying."

"I wasn't saying you are, I was going to ask if that's why you said it when you walked past Artie yesterday and why you haven't spoken to him since your audition," Kurt tried to look away, but Blaine just (very carefully of course,) turned Kurt's face back to him, "Don't think I haven't noticed. I've covered your back with Finn in the hope that you would tell me what was wrong in your own time."

"Yeah well they wouldn't cast a Tony that everyone would just laugh at throughout the entire performance." The words left Kurt's mouth before he had fully processed them and he snapped his mouth shut when he realised what he had said.

"Why would they laugh at you?" Blaine asked and his time Kurt actually did start to walk away, "Kurt." Blaine called a moment later and the elder stopped before walking back and standing in front of Blaine.

"Because they did, okay? Miss Guidance Counsellor, Beiste and the supposed friend, even Rachel who was supposed to be supporting me and helping me to perform a scene from Romeo and Juliet. They all just found it a comedy. All they did was laugh. I ran out crying and none of them even come after me to apologise: none of them haven't even apologised now," Kurt paused for a short breath, telling from the look on Blaine's face that he was starting to cry, "Tell that to Mr overprotective."

Kurt hinted over towards Finn at that comment, who had made his way over to join Rachel and congratulate her on getting the lead. Mike and Tina had joined the crowd as well as Santana and Brittany. Even Mr Schue had come over to see the cast list and congratulate everyone. When Blaine turned back to face Kurt again, he could see that the elder was desperate to just walk away.

Blaine let go of his grip on Kurt's arm and instead placed a hand on his back before carefully guiding his boyfriend through the hallways towards Miss Pillsbury's office, when only a little while ago, Kurt had been showing him the hallways in order to avoid Blaine getting lost.

The New Directions stared after the pair. Finn called out to them, looking as if he wanted to follow, but was unsure whether to leave Rachel. Mr Schue seemed to notice Finn's concern and did follow after them. Finn stepped forward after the Spanish teacher, but when Blaine waved a hand to stop Mr Schue from following them, the younger Hummel-Hudson brother did also.

Everyone could only just watch as the former Warbler practically stormed away. When they reached Miss Pillsbury's office (after what seemed like ages to Kurt, who had been trying to pull away,) Blaine knocked on the door and waited until the guidance counsellor looked up from her desk and motioned for them to enter. The pair did a moment later as a small re-enactment of a tug of war only with people.

"Blaine, Kurt," She started, seeming to only notice Kurt after Blaine had dragged him into the room, "What can I do for you?"

"We aren't leaving until we've spoken to you, Artie and Coach Beiste." Blaine explained, holding onto Kurt when the other tried to walk out of the door, planning on going to his next lesson since lunch was coming to an end.

"Oh um okay." Miss Pillsbury said as she stood up and left her office. Mr Schue had approached her and was obviously asking her what was going on before they both walked off. Finn and Rachel walked past a minute later as they headed to their next lesson. Outside did seem to be all that Kurt was focussing on.

"Kurt?" Blaine questioned as he looked at his boyfriend before taking a hold of his hand, keeping his other arm wrapped around his shoulders, "You okay?"

"I don't understand what you're doing," Kurt replied simply, "I don't understand why. You should just accept Tony. I'll win the election and use that for my NYADA application."

"And if you don't win?" Blaine queried before turning Kurt to face him, "I don't want the role. You deserve it and you need it, so I won't take it from you."

Coach Beiste, Miss Pillsbury and Artie were back in the guidance counsellor's office a moment later and were wondering curiously what was going on, "So what can we help you with?" Miss Pillsbury asked, although it was almost obvious from the people in the room though what this was about.

"Kurt didn't get the role of Tony." Blaine commented simply. Kurt was sure that everyone's eyes turned to him and he just headed for the door.

"Because you deserved it and I'm not right for it, come on Blaine." But Blaine pulled back against Kurt through their still linked hands. Blaine could tell that Kurt was trying to hold back from crying, however the elder was failing and that was even becoming obvious to the two teachers and Artie.

"No," Blaine told Kurt before turning back to the musicals directors, "I never agreed to read for the role of Tony, so why did you even give it to me?"

"Because you really suited it," Artie commented. It was difficult for them to truly explain why with Kurt still in the room.

"I saw Kurt's audition," Blaine added, "I watched him practise it through several times. You know I don't think you know how much getting the lead in this musical would mean for him. I can't play Tony."

The three directors were silent for a moment, because there wasn't really anything any of them could think to say. Miss Pillsbury spoke first, "Kurt's audition was great, we all loved it, but we just don't think that Kurt is… right for the role of Tony." Everyone noticed the obvious pause where the guidance counsellor had planned on saying feminine.

"Why, because you think he's too feminine?" Blaine bit out sharply, stunning everyone in the room. Kurt wished he could just disappear right now and tried to look away from the looks of the three directors as they began to realise that he might have heard what they had said and that he had obviously told his boyfriend.

"Because he apparently has toothpick arms? Is too much of a lady? Too delicate?" Blaine looked at each of them individually, dependant on whom the comment applied to, "Or maybe it's because you think the audience would laugh at him, like you all did." If it hadn't been there before, guilt was definitely present on all of their faces as they looked at Blaine.

Kurt was silently crying now and Blaine only pulled him closer and led him towards the door. When Coach Beiste, Miss Pillsbury and Artie had still yet to speak, Blaine looked over his shoulder at them, "You know I was at least expecting an apology to Kurt for that." Before anything else could be said, Blaine was leading Kurt out of the office and outside of the building.

* * *

The air was refreshing, unlike the air in Miss Pillsbury's office had been once their conversation had taken a rather sharp note. Artie passed them with Tina and Mike as the three headed to Glee club. Kurt was sure he had heard Mike speak to Blaine and his boyfriend reply, but as to what was said: he had no clue.

They left them alone though.

Blaine and Kurt were sat on the stairs, just like they had been earlier that morning, but Kurt was completely cuddled into Blaine, his head resting on the others lap with his boyfriends arm wrapped around him. They had decided not to go to Glee club although they were sticking around, because Kurt had decided to at least wait for Finn in order to give his younger step-brother a lift home. Finn had done nothing wrong after all and had only tried to help.

The pair had been silent for a while or at least that was after Blaine had found a way to silence Kurt's apologies of being too _delicate_ and _ladylike_ for him.

"I shouldn't have done that," Blaine commented, referring to his sudden outburst at the directors, "I shouldn't have been as sharp as I was, but they just irritated me. You really deserved the lead, you worked hard." Kurt hadn't seen how Artie had looked at them and Blaine had tried to avoid allowing his eyes to settle on the director in fear of what he might start saying without thinking – something Wes and David said he had been acclaimed for at Dalton.

"You need to accept the lead," Kurt spoke, his words muffled by his position, "I really don't mind if you do. I'll support you either way, but I think you should do it." Kurt sat up, but Blaine still held onto him as he looked his boyfriend in the eye.

"You're sure? I don't want to upset you further."

"Please take it." Kurt insisted, snuggling closer to Blaine, still sniffling with slightly red eyes. Blaine remained silent in thought for a moment, before nodding his head and moving closer to Kurt (if that was even possible.)

"Okay I will," The younger answered, "But only if you get an apology from them first."

"Promise?" Kurt asked, his voice still sounding so small, but there was a tone of light hearted happiness to it as well.

"I promise." Blaine replied, before pulling himself onto his feet, helping Kurt up and heading inside with his boyfriend by his side.

* * *

When the New Directions had entered Glee rehearsal, they had first noticed Miss Pillsbury and Coach Beiste stood at the front of the choir room with Mr Schuester, "Oh please say they aren't planning some kind of West Side Story dance rehearsal." Puck said as he sat down next to Finn. Once everyone was in the room, they started the rehearsal.

Rachel quickly raised her hand and interrupted Mr Schue with her apparently important notice, "Does anyone know where Kurt is, because I'm trying to apologise to him, but I-"

"That makes two of us," Artie started cutting her off, "I saw Kurt and Blaine outside a moment ago. Mike and Tina agreed to help me find them, but Blaine just told us to go away."

"That's why Miss Pillsbury and Coach Beiste are here," Mr Schue announced, "They'd both been hoping to see Kurt too, but since he hasn't shown up-" Now it was Finn's turn to interrupt.

"I still don't quite understand why everyone wants to apologise to Kurt all of a sudden. He won't tell me, but he doesn't seem happy about whatever it is you've done." Finn commented, but before anyone could say anything else, they noticed Blaine walk into the room, followed by Kurt, who was holding onto Blaine's hand and walking a few steps behind his boyfriend.

"Kurt I-" Rachel started as she took a few steps forward before stopping when Blaine and Kurt came to a halt.

"Kurt," It was Miss Pillsbury talking now and Blaine tried not to glare at the four people that Kurt deserved an apology from, "We're all sorry. We didn't think you would have heard what we said."

"We were wrong to laugh," Artie started, "Blaine's right, it wasn't very supportive of us."

"Kurt I feel terrible," Rachel tried again, "I was the last person you were expecting to laugh and I really am sorry. I know how much it meant to you." Coach Beiste apologised too and Finn made his way over to hug his brother, who allowed him to for once – to everyone's surprise as Kurt usually cared too much about his clothes being ruined from the action.

* * *

The apologies did help to make things better and Blaine agreed to take the lead after everyone had apologised and Kurt seemed happier. Finn kind of wished that Kurt hadn't waited to give him a lift home in the end. The car journey was full of his brother and his boyfriend talking like some characters out of a cheesy romance film.

In the end, Kurt didn't mind being called delicate as he knew in all truth he actually was. Blaine said that he was delicately courageous, which only increased Finn's idea of the romance film. Kurt loved Blaine's performance of Tony and Blaine was glad when Kurt promised to keep his Sai swords out of his hands for the duration of the West Side Story performances.

Kurt may be delicate, but he was Blaine's delicate boyfriend.

* * *

Okay, my wrist is completely fine now, so it's easier to type again. I hope to have another story up by Wednesday, a multi-chapter Klaine fic as well as other one shots/drabbles that I will try to upload every so often alongside it. Thanks for reading this, it means a lot. I hope you enjoyed it :)


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